MIAMI — A lengthy Miami Heat injury report has provided a healthier outlook for second-year forward Jamal Cain.
With Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson and other rotation players missing the Heat’s past two exhibitions, Cain stepped up with 24 points and 10 rebounds in Friday night’s exhibition road loss to the San Antonio Spurs and then 14 points and seven rebounds in Sunday’s home exhibition victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The timing could not be better for the rangy 24-year-old who went undrafted out of Oakland University in 2022 and spent last season on a Heat two-way contract.
In a change of pace, Cain also has been getting reps at point guard over the past week, with Kyle Lowry missing Friday’s game and Dru Smith sitting out Sunday, on a roster that has no other true point guards.
“We’ve done so much scrimmaging three-on-three and four-on-four the last 14 months, a lot of times we’d be without bodies, so he would have to play point in a lot of those sessions, just to get enough reps and get somebody to do it,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.
“And without even noticing it, that’s the 10,000 reps, to start with the scrimmaging. He had to do a little bit of ballhandling (Sunday) night and the other night and he was able to do it efficiently.”
At the same time, even while cast at guard, Cain has drawn notice with his offensive rebounding, with six against the Spurs and three against the Grizzlies.
“I wish I could say that we drilled and worked on it, and this is like byproduct of hours and hours of drilling,” Spoelstra said. “No, that’s what he did before he even arrived to us, and that’s why he caught our attention, really, was offensive rebounding, the cutting, his energy without the ball, offensively, in summer league and the preseason last year. He had a knack for that. And that’s important when you’re not going to be a high-usage player.
“All the other areas, he’s really improved, because he’s really worked at it. He’s embraced the player-development program wholeheartedly. His defense, very disciplined, and the attention to detail has improved.”
The Heat have 19 players on their roster, required to cut down to no more than 15 on standard contract and three on two-way contracts by 5 p.m. Oct. 23. Due to the luxury tax, the team likely will carry 17 players at the start of the season, with 14 under standard contract.
But with what has transpired the past two games, Cain has given himself a chance to upgrade from his current two-way deal, with the Heat with two remaining exhibitions, on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center against the Brooklyn Nets and Friday on the road against the Houston Rockets.
“The last two games,” Spoelstra said, “you’ve seen him on the ball. But eventually you’re going to end up off the ball and the level of focus has to be great. And like a lot of young players, he might fall asleep on the weak side. He’s getting a lot better with all of these things, and some of that is just recognizing patterns, after you see it over and over.”
Giving back
Heat center Bam Adebayo, in partnership with his Bam, Books & Brotherhood Foundation, on Saturday will unveil a new fitness center and basketball court at the Chapman Partnership in Homestead.
The event will include the unveiling of the fitness center, followed by a push-up contest featuring Adebayo and a shooting competition.
At the event, Adebayo will announce Bam’s Book Club, a revamp of a Chapman Partnership program that will task youth with reading one book a month, beginning in October and running through the NBA season. At the end of each month, the highest score from a quiz will receive Heat tickets.
Chapman Partnership “provides comprehensive programs and services in collaboration with others that empower their residents with dignity and respect to overcome homelessness and achieve and maintain long-term self-sufficiency.”
Battier’s Jeopardy!
Former Heat forward Shane Battier, now a strategic advisor in the team’s basketball-operations department, will be a contestant on Wednesday night’s edition of Celebrity Jeopardy! on ABC at 8 p.m.
